I'm new to menstrualcups and hoping you might help me source my perfect cup.

I have been using a mooncupuk since July and having problems with leakage.

The leakage I experience is not major but I do need a backup pad on days 2 and 3 of my period. I empty my cup every hour when I notice leakage but it's only about a quarter full.

I do have to coax my cervix into the cup and have no residual slobber after insertion.

I contacted mooncupuk for advice and they told me my cervix was too low and I should stop using it and they refunded my money.

I cut the stem completely off and wear it flipped inside out. My cervix is 4.5cm inside and seems to sit towards my tail. It stays in this position all month (it only moves up when I exercise my pf muscles). I have no children. I'm 36 and my flow is heavy at times (either floods or trickles) with lots of clots.

I do a bit of dancing as exercise (line dance, jive, ballroom, tap) not sure if this is relevant re: pelvic floor)

I contacted meluna as I am interested in the shorty but it's not available in the UK yet.

I have looked at the size charts but all the smaller length cups seem to be smaller in width and capacity too which might not suit me either.

I should also add I don't find my mooncupuk uncomfortable when turned inside out.

If you find something, let me know, we're on the same boat =/But I own 2 melunas, one small and one medium, and I have noticed that I actually get a better capacity on the smaller one. I guess it's because the small sits a bit lower, so my cervix doesn't take up as much space as on the medium.

I think you probably have a "dangly cervix" versus a short vaginal canal. A wide, high capacity cup is usually recommended for those. Going to a shorter cup, your cervix would dangle into the cup, filling it and leaving very little room for flow. That's what I think was happening with your Mooncup, which happens to be a fairly low capacity cup to begin with. Check out the large Fleurcup. It has the same rim width as your Mooncup and is only 3mm longer. It has a blunt base and a bulbous shape which would (theoretically) give your cervix plenty of room to dangle, allowing more room for flow, thereby increasing the capacity.

Well, I too have this issue. I'm in the process of getting a MCUK to try because it's shorter than my large Fleur cup which I'm using presently. The Fleur cup leaks for me also, not to discourage you from trying it. It works for a lot of others, but I don't get much capacity with it on my heavy days.I'm beginning to think I never will.....I've tried a large Diva, large Ladycup, Femmycycle (original), Naturalmama, large Fleurcup, & a small Green Donna. I also want to try a Meluna shorty before I quit trying to find my Perfect cup.Good Luck!

Thanks kuradi8 I have taken the plunge and ordered the fleurcup. It's £8 at feminine wear so not too expensive if it doesn't suit me. Fingers crossed. Any tips for reducing the cramps which have intensified with wearing a cup?

There is an old wives' tale that says that the more water you drink before and during your period, the less you'll cramp. The theory is that your flow will be more fluid and therefore passes more easily. Similarly, the more you drink, the less water you'll retain so no bloating either.

If the cramps are cup-specific, it might either be bumping up against your cervix (from inserting at the wrong angle) or suckering onto your cervix (because it opened up partially but not completely before hitting your cervix or it's fitting snugly around your cervix, particularly if you have a narrow cup and a wideish cervix). In this case a wider cup may help because it will fit around, rather than under/on the cervix and avoid it completely.

Oh my goodness regee0304 I really hope you find something soon. My mcuk doesn't leak that much - I wear a backup pad but it will last all day and isn't "full" although I empty my cup every time I go to the toilet if I notice leakage (probably hourly). I also got prescribed some blood reducing meds (Tranexamic acid) from my gp to try to prevent the flooding I experience and so far so good and the clots don't seem as big since I started taking it. The meds coincided with when I started wearing the cup so difficult for me to gauge the actual reduction in flow.

Do you notice leakage on the toilet paper or on the pad? For some reason (probably my anatomy) I often find blood on the toilet paper when I pee. I've learned that if it is just a little (pink) then I don't really need to empty my cup. If I'm getting a lot of bright red blood, then time to empty.

I live on ibuprofen when I'm on my period. It reduces cramping and flow for me. Lots of water (as Kuradi said) is also good.

Hi kathlyne the leakage is both on the pad and paper. I think it's overflow because there is no leakage at all in day 1 (not even on the paper when I wipe) I only leak on day 2 and 3 (either due to heavier/faster flow) or lower cervix (guess) hoping the larger capacity cup will resolve these issues.

Thanks for the advice kuradi8 and por_que_no I am generally crampy so will try more water. I think it could be the cup hitting the cervix too but unfortunately my anatomy won't allow me to insert any other way as if my cervix is to make it into the cup (and that does take a bit of persuasion (read kegeling and pushing/pulling/re angling the cup until I feel it pop open and can no longer feel the cervix outside at the back of my cup.

Update on mooncupuk - I have chosen to try it right way out today and it's ok but the bottom of it does feel like it's irritating me a little (perhaps from the roughness from where I cut the stem off) Maybe this helps me get a better angle as inside out it can be almost horizontal.

Thank you all for all the advice I appreciate it and am hopeful I can stop wearing pads altogether.

I can recommend the Ecocup size 2 and the Rubycup, if you are looking for a short but wider cup with the highest capacity possible at that size. (Narrower suggestions would be Meluna Mini S, Ecocup size 1, small Sibell, small Fleur, in case someone reading this thread is looking for narrow cups.)

Thank you luceafara and dilarazmi for your advice on the ecocup. I took the plunge and ordered a large fleurcup - unfortunately it arrived after my period had finished so I couldn't test it properly but I can accommodate it comfortably. I now realise my cervix is dangly rather than low. I got an email about the shorty yesterday but I will see how I get on with my fleurcup next month before ordering anything new.

Ironically, my period arrived just after I posted this and I did have a leak free period with my mooncupuk this month (took lots of ibuprofen along with my Tranexamic acid which reduced my flow considerably).

I am extremely positive about future periods now and also really grateful for this forum - I'm so glad I stumbled upon it for advice. It really gave me the confidence to keep going 💜